JUMAWAN, MARINELLE C.

OCTOBER 03,2022

GROUP NO. : RATING:

EXERCISE NO. 3
THE PLANT CELL

A cell is a very basic structure of all living systems, consisting of protoplasm within a
containing cell membrane. Only entities such as viruses— literally on the boundary
between non-living chemicals and living systems—lack cells or basic cell structure. All
plants, including very simple plants called algae, and all animals are made up of cells,
and these are organized in various ways to create structure and function in an organism.
Biologists recognize two basic types of cells: prokaryotic and eukaryotic. Prokaryotic
cells are structurally more simple. They are found only in single-celled and some simple,
multicellular organisms (all bacteria and some algae, which all belong to Bacteria and
Archaea domains). Eukaryote cells are found in most algae, all higher plants, fungi,
psychedelic plants/fungi, and animals (Eukarya domain). Thus, differences between
these two cell types are critical to how an organism is classified, and an important
consideration in the evolutionary sequence of life on the planet Earth.

Nearly all cells are too small to be seen with the unaided eye. As always there are
some exceptions, but generally magnification is required to detect a cellular structure.
In plants, a good hand-lens will sometimes suffice, but in working with cells or observing
how cells are organized to form tissues and structures, a high-power microscope is used.

Tissue from an onion is a good first exercise in using the microscope and viewing
plant cells. The cells are easily visible under a microscope and the preparation of a thin
section is straight forward. An onion is made of layers, each separated by a thin skin or
membrane. In this exercise the students will make wet mount on a microscope slide and
look at the cells of the onion membrane magnified by the high power, compound
microscope.

OBJECTIVE: To know the basic structures of the cell and how these structures function.

MATERIALS: Allium cepa (onion) Compound microscope

Empty slides Cover slips

PROCEDURE:
1. Take a small piece of onion and using forceps (tweezers), peel off the membrane from
the underside (the rough side).

2. Lay the membrane flat on the surface of a clean glass slide, and then add one drop of
water.

3. Place a cover slip onto the slide. Make sure there are no air bubbles.

4. Make sure the lowest power objective lens (the shortest lens if there are several
present) is in line with the optical tube, and the microscope light is turned on. Then
place the prepared slide onto the stage of the microscope.

5. Looking from the side (NOT through the eyepiece), lower the tube using the coarse
focus knob until the end of the objective lens is just above the cover glass. Do this
carefully so as not to crack the cover glass (and possibly damage the objective lens).

6. Now look through the eyepiece and turn ONLY the smaller, fine focusing knob to move
the optical tube upwards until an image comes into focus. The cells should look
something like lizard skin.

7. Swap the objective lens for a higher powered one so that you can see the
cells at greater magnification. You should be able to make out a nucleus in each cell.
 DRAWING:
100X LPO
Onion Epidermis
Allium cepa cells

430X HPO
Onion Epidermis
Allium cepa cells
 LABEL THE PARTS OF THE PLANT CELL.

A- Nucleus H - Ctoskeleton (microtubules)

B - Chromatin
C - Nucleolus
D - Nuclear envelope
E - Rough endoplasmic reticulum
F - Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
G- Central Vacuole
I - Cloroplast
J - Cell wall
K - Plasma membrane
L - Mitochondrion
M - Golgi vesciles
N - Golgi apparatus
QUESTIONS:
Give the function of the following organelles:

ORGANELLE FUNCTION
regulates the transport of materials
1. cell membrane
entering and exiting the cell.

2. nucleus to produce and assemble the cell’s

ribosomes

cytoplasmic streaming or allows the

3. cytoplasm chloroplasts to move around in order to get
the required sunlight for photosynthesis.

4. rough
the rough endoplasmic reticulum
endoplasmic
is to synthesis of proteins.
reticulum

5. smooth endoplasmic the function of this organelle is the

reticulum transport of substances within the cell

proteins received from the ER are further

6. golgi complex processed and sorted for transport to their
eventual destinations: lysosomes, the plasma
membrane, or secretion

7. mitochondria is energy production, they carry out

other important tasks as well.

to act as a springboard on
8. centrioles which other structures of
the cell can be assembled

membrane-bound cell organelle

9. lysosomes
that contains digestive enzymes.

It controls all the metabolic activities

10. nucleolus of the cell by controlling the
synthesis of enzymes required.

The ribosome is a complex molecular machine found inside

11. ribosomes the living cells that make proteins from amino acids in the
process called protein synthesis or translation. Protein
synthesis is a major task performed by living cells